Feed regulator for steam boilers



June 9,', 1931. E. TQRREl 1,809,535

FEED REGULATOR FORA STEAM BOILERS Filed Aug. .10. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fg f June 9, 1931..

l vE. TORRE FEED REGULATOR FOR STEAM BOILERS Filed Augf' lo. 192e 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented June 9, 1931 UNITED STATES Eernro TORRE, or GENOA, ITALYy FEED REGULATOR 'FOR` STEAM BOILERS Application filed August 10, 1928, Serial No. 298:13?, and in Great Britain September 20, 1927.

This invention relates to the automatic feed water regulators for steam boilers of the type in which the variation of the water level inside the boiler is utilized to control the admission of water to the boiler, and in which the feed to the boiler is controlled by a feed valve, the opening or closing of which is controlled by a back pressure set up behind the valve by the accumulated leakage l0 of the feed water past the valve, the back of said feed valve being connected to a level chamber by means of a by-pass pipe, said pipe having interposed therein a valve which controls the back pressure and is itself controlled by a closed float-like spherical meinber arranged upon a balanced double armed lever within the level chamber, the latter having connection with the water and the steam space of the boiler.

The invention consists in an automatic feed water regulator of the above type in which the spherical float is arranged within a casing which communicates, by means of a tubular socket or nozzle, with a lower chamber, which latter constitutes the aforesaid level charnber, and is so arranged with respect to the boiler that the lower end of the tubular socket or nozzle corresponds substantially with the average water level of the boiler.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a sectional view of the float valve. y

Figure 2 shows a section through part of a marine boiler fitted with a float controlled valve and differential feed valve.

1 is the casing of the feed valve. enclosing a differential valve comprising a valve head 2 and plunger 3 connected together by a stem, and between which bodies the water is forced by the feed pump. The piston moves in the casing with light friction and is not tightly fitted so that a small portion of feed water escapes around the'plunger into the cylinder head. The valve body of the feed valve presents a somewhat larger area than the plunger 3. The space within the float casing (Figure 1) is divided by the spherical Wall 4 into two superposed chambers communicating with each otherfthrough a depending tubular socket or nozzle 5 opening into the lower chamber 'or sump that is connected through pipe 6 and valve 8 to the steam space of the boiler and through pipe 7 and valve 9 to the Water space, so that the water in this sump is constantly on a level with the average level of the boiler water. 10 is a spherical hollow metallic float preferably formed by ,two equal halves of moderate thickness weldedtogether and containing a small quantity` of water sealed therein. The float 10 is fitted at one end of a double-armed lever fulcrumed at 11 and carrying at its y opposite end the counterweight 12. A needle valve 13 isY linked to a suitable pointv of the weighted arm of the float lever and is allowed to slide within a bushing of a valve lcasing, and to be seated against a seat member17 so as to permit or intercept the communicationof pipe 14 with an outlet pipe 15. The pipe 14 leads into the bottom end of the cylinder in which the plunger 3.of the differentialvalve slides. 16 is a threadedY plug sealing the top end of thefloat chamber and serving as vent valve forv discharging fromtime to ltime the air which couldremain trapped within the chamber 4.v 18 is a stud serving as stop for the counter` weight 12; 19 is ahand wheelv(or a gearin case of very large valves).

The operation is as follows:

When the average levelf lof the water within the boile'ris below the level ofk the mouth of the tubular socket orl nozzle 5, the steam fills "the float chamber, and the floatflO Y unbalances the counterweight 12 in the posi- Ytion as 'shown in which the needle valve 13 is closed. In 'this position of the needle valve 13, the leakage pressure n water under the plunger 3 overbalances the pressure exerted on the upperface of the same plunger (that has an active area lessk than that of the lower face of an amount equivalent to the sectional area of the stem connecting head 2 to plunger 3), unseats valve 2 and permits the boiler to be fed.

When a sufficient quantity of water has been fed to raise the water level above the level of the mouth of the nozzle 5, the steam contained in the float chamber is trapped therein by Way of the hydraulic seal of nozzle 5 and condenses, allowing the boiler water contained in the sump to flood instantly the float chamber and to unbalance the float 10 in its uppermost position in which the needle valve 13 is opened, discharging the leakage water from the under side of plunger 3, which is no more forced up and permits valve 2 to remain seated, thus stopping the feed. As soon as the Water level sin s below the mouth of nozzle 5,the water Within the float chamber is discharged and replaced by steam and the oat 10 swings down and imbalances the float lever in the needle valve-closing position in which the Water feed takes place.

17 is a socket which forms the seat of the needle valve 13. 18 is a stud which serves as a. stop for the counterweight 12 and 19 is a hand wheel.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the saine is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is In combination with a steam boiler, an automatic feed regulator comprisinga hollow, steam-tight casing forming a float chamber, a short depending tubular nozzle projecting downwardly of said casing and arranged with its mouth inv alignment with the average level of the water in the boiler, a sump below this tubular element and in communication through the nozzle with the float chamber and in communication with the steam and water space of the boiler, a hollow steam pressure resisting float member attached to a counterweighted double'- armed lever housed within the fioat chamber, a needle valve attached vto the float lever and tightly seated when the float is in its lowermost position; a separate differential valve inserted in the water feed line of the boiler and comprising a larger valve head adapted to be tightly fitted on its seat and g through which the feed takes place, land a plunger head connected to the valve and sliding with an untight fit in a bore of the valve casing; a pipe opening in the feed valve cas ing to the under side of the plunger head and leading to the seat of the said needle valve, and an outlet pipe connected to the discharge of the casing of said needle valve.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

EGIDIO TORRE. 

